Word: slotin
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Dates: during 1946-1946
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...FULL STORY OF THE DEATH OF DR. LOUIS SLOTIN AS TOLD BY A VISITING SCIENTIST ADDS AN IRONIC TWIST TO TIME'S STORY [TIME, JUNE 10]. SLOTIN, WHOSE FIELD WAS ORIGINALLY BIOLOGY, BECAME SO EXPERT AT HANDLING SUBCRITICAL MASSES FOR BOMB ASSEMBLY THAT HE WAS PUT IN CHARGE OF TESTING THE MATERIALS FOR OPERATION CROSSROADS. HE WAS WORKING ON HIS LAST ASSEMBLY ON HIS LAST DAY IN THE LAB BEFORE TAKING OFF FOR THE PACIFIC...
...ONLY 18^ INCHES FROM THE SUBCRITICAL MASSES WITHOUT ANY PROTECTIVE GUARDS. ADMITTEDLY GOING TOO FAST FOR SAFETY, HE LET HIS SCREWDRIVER SLIP. IN LESS THAN A FLASH HE RECEIVED A FATAL DOSE OF RADIATION. FULLY AWARE THAT DEATH WAS CERTAIN, AND NOT WANTING ANY KNOWLEDGE TO DIE WITH HIM, SLOTIN RETURNED THE NEXT DAY TO THE LABORATORY AND EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO THE STAFF WHICH HE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTING IN ASSEMBLY. NOT UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY DID HE GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO AWAIT...
Apparently Dr. Slotin and seven or more other scientists were working with "subcritical masses" of uranium or plutonium. Kept apart, these masses were lifeless as lead, but if brought together to form a mass above "critical" size, a chain reaction would start. Its violence would depend on the character of the materials. Probably they were midway in activity between mild-mannered natural uranium and furious plutonium...
Perhaps Dr. Slotin was watching the warning instruments more carefully than his fellows; perhaps he saw the bluish glow. At any rate, he realized that the chain reaction had spurted to high intensity. The room was being swept with deadly radiation. He leaped forward, put his body between his colleagues and the radiating mass, scattered its materials. The chain reaction halted immediately...
...Then Dr. Slotin was taken to the hospital, where, nine days later, he died of the peculiar and imperfectly understood burns produced by radiation. Seven coworkers, less seriously injured, hoped to recover...